Brick-drier.



110. 715,314. K Y Patented nee. .9, 19112.

.1. STARKEY.

8810K DRIER. (Appxicmon mea Apr'. 1e, 1902.) (N11 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 7I5,3|4. Patented Dec. 9, i902.

" J. STARKEY.

BMM( DRIEH.

(Application led 4px: 1G, 1902.) l

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES JOHN STARKEY, OF MINERVA, OHIO.

BRICK- DKRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,314, datedfDecember 9, 1902,

Application led April 16, 1902,

To ctZZ wtont it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STARKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minerva, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brick-Driers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a f ull, clear, and eX- act description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speciiication, and to the gures of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse section showing a series of tunnels or chambers and their underground dues. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a single tunnel, showing a transverse section of the furnace-flue and the chimneyiiue. Fig. 3 is a view showing a portion of the due under the tunnel or drying-chamber, illustrating the chimney end thereof, also showing a portion of the outer chimney-Wall. Fig. i is a plan view showing a part of the tunnel-licor complete and showing a portion of the door-tile and also showing portions of fines and a portion ofthe furnace-flue.

The present invention has relation to brickdriers; and it consists inthe novel construe-g tion hereinafter described, and particularly pointed ont in the claims.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the ligures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the furnace-hue, which is located at right angles to the iiues 2, 3, and 4, said dues 2, 3, and -i being located directly below the dry-chambers 5, which dry-chambers are formed of any desired Width and height, reference being had to the capacity of each drying-chainber. In the drawings I have illustrated four chambers or tunnels located side by side; but it will be understood that this number may be increased or decreased without departing from the nature of my invention, and in use when it is desired to increase the drying capacity additional vtunnels may be built and connected to the side or sides ot' one or ones originally built. The various tunnels are divided by solid partition-walls 6, which partition-walls extend from the foundation proper to the top of the tunnel or tunnels.

,y The outer walls 7 are constructed in substantially the same manner that the partition- Serial No. 103,235. (No model.)

Walls 6 are and upon which walls and the partition-walls the roof or covering of the tunnels is supported. The roof 8 is formed'without air-inlets or openings of any kind, and no direct atmospheric connection is to be elnployed or used between the drying chambers or tunnels 5 and the atmosphere, except such air as may enter through the material used in the construction ot the roof; but the roof is to be practically airtight, reference of course being had to the tendency of air `finding its way through structures not entirely air-tight.

The furnace-flue l is provided at one end with the usual grate-bars 9 and upon which Jfuel is burned for the purpose of creating the desired amount ofheat. The opposite end of lthe furnace-flue lis closed and is so formed for the purpose of conducting the heat through the desired flues under the tunnels, or, in other Words, turning the heat into said fines.

Along the inner side of the furnace-due l are located a series of openings l0, which openings communicate with the dues 2, 3, and 4 and into which lines the heat from the furnace-line passes. The iiues 2, 3, and 4 eX- tend under the tunnels or drying-chambers 5 their entire length and communicate with the chimney-flue 1l, which chimney-due is located at the opposite end of the tunnel from that of the furnace-lines.

For the purpose of cutting oft the draft from the dues 2, 3, ande under' any given tunnel a-series of dampers l2 are provided, which dampers are located in the central opening 13.

It will be understood that the tunnels or drying-chambers must be formed of a width to admit cars to be moved in and out of the tunnels upon suitable track or tracks, and in order to supply proper supports for the door or doors of the tunnel or tunnels the open par f tition-walls 14 are provided,which open partition-walls form supports for the floor tile or brick 15, this construction being preferable; but it will be understood that the object and purpose of the present invention can be carried out Without any special reference to the construction of the flues under the tunnel or drying-chambers; but provision must be made for the purpose of bridging the fines and at the same time providing a structure of sufficient strength to give the load designed to be placed upon the floors of the drying-chambers ortunnels.

For the purpose of closing all of the lines 2, 3, and 4 with one damper the chimney-flue ends thereof are so constructed that a single damper will so act and cut off the draft. This may be done by the inclined walls 16. In the iioor of the tunnel or tunnels are located any desired number of openings 17, which openings are inclined downward toward the chimhey-flue 11, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and are so inclined for the purpose of preventing smoke from backing up into the tunnels or drying-chambers 5. For the purpose of properly covering the openings 17 and at the same time assisting in preventing the backing up of smoke the caps 18 are provided,which caps are open toward the fu rnace-flue l and closed toward the chimney-fine ll.

In use the brick designed to be dried are placed upon a car or cars of the usual construction and the car or cars placed in the tunnel, the end of the tunnel being closed by doorsofusual construction. The heat from the furnace is passed through the flues under the tunnel, which has a tendency to withdraw from the tunnels the cold atmosphere contained therein, and the heat produced by the flues will heat the bottom of the tunnel, and thereby dry the brick contained therein. The steam arising from the drying brick Will be drawn downward and into the fines below the tunnel through the openings 17, and the draft of the chimney will remove the steam, together with the smoke arising from the consumption of the fuel. It will be understood that when any given damper 12 is closed there will be no draft, and hence the heat will be practically cut oft, and hence I am enabled to regulate the heat of any couvenient tunnel.

In the drying of brick it is important that no direct atmospheric connection be had between the open atmosphere and the dryingchamber or tunnel. It is an important matter that the center or inside portions of the brick be dried in as rapid a manner as the outer surface, owing to the fact that when a dry shell is formed upon the brick before their centers are dried the steam arising from the dampness contained in the center must escape, and in so doing the dry shells of the brick will be cracked, thereby injuring the brick during the drying process.

In the drawings I have illustrated in dotted lines the chimney 11, located upon the opposite side from that shown in full lines. This arrangement being desirable in some instances and especially when it is desired to add additional tunnels to the ones already constructed.v

It will be understood that so far as the present invention is concerned it makes no dierence as to the location of the chimney, except that it must be so located that a direct draft can be maintained between the chimney-flue and the chimney proper.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a brick-drier, the combination of a furnace-liuc, a tunnel having tight-closed tops and sides, a iue located below the tunnel communicating with the furnace-flue, a chimneytlue located at the opposite end of the tunnel from that of the furnace-flue, and a damper located between the chimney-flue and the flue below the drying chamber or tunnel, and openings in the floor of the tunnel and communieating with the flue thereunder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a brick-drier, the combination of a series of tunnels, a furnace-flue located at right angles to the tunnels, lues located below the tunnels and communicating with a chimneyflue located at right angles to the tunnels, and the tunnels provided with closed sides and tops, openings located in the floors of the tunnel and inclined downward toward the chimneyflue, and dampers located in the chimney-flue ends of the tlues below the tunnels, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

3. In a brick-drier of the class described, a tunnel having a tight-closed top, a divided flue located below the tunnel, a furnace-flue located at right angles to the tunnel and to the lues thereunder, a chimneylue and dampers adapted to cut off the communication of heat between the chimney-flue and the flue under the tunnel, and openings leading from the tunnel to the flue below, and caps located over the openings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a brick-drier of the class described, a tunnel having a tight-closed top, a divided iiue located below the tunnel, a heating-flue located at right angles to the tunnel and to the iue thereunder, a chimney-flue located at right angles to the lines under the tunnel and dampers located between the chimneyflue and the tunnel-lilies, openings leading from the tunnel to the flue below the tunnel and caps located over the openings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. JOHN STARKEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN BRIDENSTEIN, FRANK MILLER.

Ion 

